Dec. 5, 2016

Pearl Harbor Toughness Takes Flight - Ensign Theodore W. Marshall

What does "toughness" mean to a U.S. Navy Sailor? Navy toughness means you take a hit and keep going, tapping all sources of strength and resilience. This is one such story; how, a young ensign embodied the fighting spirit of our U.S. Navy, put his toughness into action, and refused to stop - even as the bombs rained down.The first Japanese bombs

Dec. 5, 2016

Stories of Valor on a Day of Infamy

Although Pearl Harbor was a devastating tactical defeat resulting in 2,335 U.S. military deaths, the vast majority of U.S. Sailors responded immediately and in many cases with extraordinary acts of bravery, many of which were unrecorded due to the deaths of so many witnesses. Even so, Navy personnel were awarded 15 Medals of Honor, 51 Navy Crosses,

Dec. 2, 2016

The Story of USS Ward and Navy Readiness as the Sun Rose on the Day of Infamy

"At Dawn We Slept" was the title of one of the most influential books about the disastrous Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy" as President Franklin Roosevelt called it in his declaration of war speech. However, I respectfully disagree with the premise of the title, as it gives

Nov. 18, 2016

NHHC Reviews U.S. Navy Wrecks in South Pacific Waters and Prepares to Bring New Life to Disturbed Artifacts

The following post is about the conservation of artifacts that were removed, without authorization from the U.S. Navy, from the wreck of USS Salute. In partnership with the government of Brunei, U.S. Navy and Royal Brunei Navy divers this week completed a dive on the ship's wreck in which they honored the service of those lost when the ship sank,

Nov. 15, 2016

Zumwalt's Lasting Legacy as Told through 121 Z-Grams

With the commissioning of USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), you've likely heard a lot about the ship's technological capabilities. But just how well do you the history of the man behind the namesake? Naval History and Heritage Command recently completed transcribing each of Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt's Z-grams in order for people to learn more about just how

Nov. 10, 2016

Happy Birthday Devil Dogs

On November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress approved a resolution to establish two battalions of Marines "able to fight for independence at sea and on shore." Since that day,the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have teamed together and become one of the strongest and most effective expeditionary forces the world has ever known. Today, on the 241st

Nov. 7, 2016

Honoring Our Veterans: Navy Sailors That Earned our Country's Highest Honor

The Navy and Marine Corps' Medal of Honor is our country's oldest continuously awarded decoration, originally created for enlisted men by Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles on Dec. 16, 1861. Although originally awarded for both combat and non-combat heroism, the Medal of Honor today is presented for 'conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the

Nov. 2, 2016

A Token of Appreciation for Our Vietnam Vets

Anyone who has been to a Navy Week in the last two decades knows how great it is to be a Sailor in the United States Navy. People buy you lunch. Businesses give you discounts. Pedestrians thank you, and the drivers show their appreciation with a friendly honk. All for doing something we volunteered to do, and (on most days at least) something we

Oct. 31, 2016

Have You Heard of a Ship Called the Good Reuben James?

Popularized for many Americans by the Woody Guthrie song, "The Sinking of the Reuben James," USS Reuben James (DD-245) was the first U.S. Navy ship to be sunk by enemy action during World War II. Months before America officially entered the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Reuben James Sailors paid the ultimate price. The story of these

Oct. 21, 2016

Torpedoman 2nd Class Henry Breault

Editor's note: The following blog first appeared on the Submarine Force Library & Museum website. Long before seven submariners received the Medal of Honor in World War II for their the legendary bravery, an enlisted man, Torpedoman 2nd Class Henry Breault, distinguished himself as a hero of the Submarine Force. He is the only enlisted submariner

Oct. 20, 2016

Navy Legend: Admiral Elmo "Bud" Zumwalt, Jr.

By Guest Blogger: Marine Col. (Ret.) James "Jim" G. Zumwalt, son of Adm. Elmo "Bud" Zumwalt, Jr.Editor's Note: As the commissioning of USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) drew near, we knew we wanted to share more information about Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., the 19th Chief of Naval Operations. There was no question whatever we came up with would qualify as a

Oct. 11, 2016

In the Walk of Life, the Shared Path Leads to Achievement - Admiral Elmo "Bud" Zumwalt's Legacy

It's a somewhat rare event to know when history is about to happen. Even rarer that you get to plan for it, but when our office learned the commissioning date for the USS Zumwalt would be October 15th, we knew it was going to be big and we knew we had a responsibility as the Naval History and Heritage Command, to share with the American people the

Oct. 10, 2016

A Visionary for Humanity - Admiral Elmo "Bud" Zumwalt's Legacy

It's a somewhat rare event to know when history is about to happen. Even rarer that you get to plan for it, but when our office learned the commissioning date for the USS Zumwalt would be October 15th, we knew it was going to be big and we knew we had a responsibility as the Naval History and Heritage Command, to share with the American people the

Oct. 6, 2016

An Iconic Figure to Remember, Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Jr.

Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., a U.S. Navy admiral, whose naval career extended from World War II to the Vietnam War, was the youngest admiral to serve as Chief of Naval Operations.As a young man, one of his greatest desires was to become a doctor as both his parents were. But in 1939 he was accepted into the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. In

Oct. 5, 2016

Ask An Archivist Day

In support of #AskAnArchivist, we linked up with one of our own, Suzanne Scott, Naval History and Heritage Command Archivist. She took us through NHHC's stacks and answered our biggest questions along the way. We also got an opportunity to open a few boxes and saw some pretty neat pieces of history!Q: Why does the Navy need an archivist?The Navy

Oct. 4, 2016

The History of Navy Music

Navy Band director Lieutenant Charles Benter (right) and Rear Admiral Benjamin F. Hutchison (left) inspecting the Navy Band's new uniform, at the Washington Navy Yard, D.C., in about 1926. This garb was informally known as the Lion-Tamer Uniform. The original photograph was received from the Bureau of Construction & Repair in 1926.The Navy has 11

Oct. 3, 2016

Manning the Rails: A Navy Tradition

Manning the rail, like the ceremonial military gun salute, is a centuries old practice for rendering honors aboard naval vessels. According to Royal Connell and William Mack's "Naval Ceremonies, Customs, and Traditions," the custom of manning the rail evolves from "manning the yards" (the spars on a mast from which sails are set) and cheering the

Oct. 3, 2016

DING! DING! History and Heritage Blog on Ships' Bells, Arriving!

For centuries, bells have had a long tradition of use in the navies and merchant fleets around the world. From time-keeping, signaling, and sounding alarms to a wide variety of ceremonial uses, ships' bells have long occupied a place of importance in the U.S. Navy. Bells cast from metal were first developed in the Bronze Age.One of the earliest

Sept. 11, 2016

Tough, Bold and Ready, America's 9/11 Ships Defend Freedom and Democracy

From Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach DivisionEditor's Note: Many Americans over the age of 25 remember two worlds, the one before Sept. 11, 2001 and the one after. Although the terror of that day shook the nation, it can be argued that America emerged stronger with a new understanding of and appreciation for freedom

Sept. 7, 2016

VJ Day is an Opportunity to Remember

Editor's note: Rear Adm. Roegge was the keynote speaker at the WWII-end Missouri ceremony on Friday, September 2nd. In his speech, he reflected on the lasting impression the war made on Pearl Harbor and the Navy's major contributions in the victory. Below is an excerpt from his speech. Here, in Pearl Harbor, and onboard the USS Missouri, we have a